Matrimonial Psychoanalysis
by Bren Gail
Summary: Dave felt compelled to warn Aaron of both the bonds of matrimony and that of the true deposition of his wonderful peach of a fiancé. CCOAC March Madness Challenge Pinch-hit for WraithInkSlinger, David Rossi/Aaron Hotchner, Quantum Leap.


_Please keep in mind that Ilovetvalot and Tonnie2001969 are diligently working toward their nomination ballot on the second annual "Profilers Choice Awards" hosted by their Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum. Their tentative date to release the categories, informational post, and NOMINATION BALLOT is 8/28/11! Swing by there and take a looksee! With all of the interesting threads and conversations that occur over there, I am quite sure that you will have a blast at CCOAC!_

_[Parts of the above text was taken from one of ilovetvalot's author's note. I am attempting to help advertise the Profiler's Choice Awards and hopefully you would like to join me. Please post a note in your stories and/or profile about the awards. The more people that advertise the awards, the more people who will know about and hopefully participate in them! Thank you for reading.]_

_This is a CCOAC March Madness Challenge Pinch Hit for WraithInkSlinger featuring the assignment of David Rossi and Aaron Hotchner, Quantum Leap. _

_I like to give where credit is due which is why I am making it known that the following fan fiction contains a Quantum Leap quote from the character Al. I butchered the following quote to pieces in the story, however this is it in its entirety; "There are five stages of love. The first is denial, then there's sex, then there's acceptance, then there's divorce…and then there's more sex, if you're lucky."_

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><p><strong>Matrimonial Psychoanalysis<strong>

Dave Rossi considered himself a successful man. He had the charm, cunning, grace, looks, manners, money, and power that many men only dreamed to have. He had retired early from his legendary career from the Federal Bureau of Investigations that had ended with him both leaving his role as BAU Unit Chief and declining a promotion as a Section Chief. After doing this, he had become an award winning and best-selling Author. However successful he was, the journey had been neither easy nor quick. It had been grueling hard work. He had learned from each one of his mistakes whether it be professional or personal.

This is why he stared disbelievingly at his best friend as he thought of how to curb the enthusiasm about marrying his long-term girlfriend, Haley Brooks.

"Dave?" Aaron Hotchner prompted. "Did you hear the question?"

Dave stayed silent and stared a moment longer as if trying to find the answer to what he wanted to say in Aaron's eyes. He took a sip of the water that had earlier accompanied the appetizer. Once he placed the tall glass back unto the table, Dave replied. "Yes, I heard," He paused and licked the excess water from the tip of his top lip. "But it remains to be answered why you would consider me Best Man potential. You know my, uh," He paused looking for the correct word. "Aversion of any type of wedding or bounding ceremony."

Aaron gave him an imperturbable patient look. "Dave, I understand that you have no faith in marriage," He paused when Dave snorted at the understatement, but continued when Dave quirked an amused eyebrow at him. "Regardless I am still asking you to be my best man. I love Haley with every fiber of my being."

"Good lord," He grunted. "The cara donna lupo has you wrapped around her little finger."

"Dave, she is not a darling she wolf." Aaron corrected as he had recognized what he had said in Italian. During his later days with BAU, Dave had dubbed ex-wife number two that. "She's a strong, beautifu, and smart woman who loves me."

Dave chuckled. "You would latch onto that and not deny that she, in fact, does have you pussy whipped."

"Dave." Aaron stated as if his patience was thining. "Like I said, I understand where you are coming from, but it would mean a lot to me if you were the one that stood at the alter with me while I married the love of my life."

"Aaron," Dave sighed. "Look, there are many things that I would do for you, I would lay my life down for yours, I would kill for you, but I refuse to assist you throw your freedom away. Your fiance is not cut out for the life that you'll lead. She's spoiled , petty, and prone to jealously. She'll become jealous of your career, because it'll see you more than she will. She'll get bored without your constant attention. She'll start to spend your money out of boredom and when that no longer quenches the lonliness then she'll find what she's looking for in another man's arms, but in your house."

The restaurant around them was filled with chatter, clinking of silverware unto plates, and other sounds that could be found in a restaurant, however silence fell between the two friends. Dave feared that he had overstepped several boundaries, but he could not bring himself to apologize, because what he had said was indeed what he believed.

"Dave," Aaron sighed. Although he was angered by what Dave said. He could not fault him for being so very pessitmistic about both her and the upcoming nuptials. Dave had been jaded for a very long time and had his heart and trust broken too many times, but that did not mean that that too would happen to himself. He continued in a quiet diplomatic tone. "I'm very sorry that your marriages did not work out. However, my marriage with Haley will work out."

"Famous last words, Aaron." Dave murmered as he sipped on the water. "My boy, there are five stages of love." He paused and started to tick them off first with his index finger. "Denial." Middle finger rose to join the index finger. "Sex." He grinned as his ring finger joined the middle and index ones. "Acceptance." The pinky rose to join the index, middle, and ring fingers. "Divorce." The thumb stuck out to join the extended fingers. "And if you're lucky more sex."

Aaron rolled his eyes and called him out on his bullshit. "Dave you ripped that of an episode of Quantum Leap."

Dave grinned not caring that he had been caught paraphrasing a quote from an eighties sitcom. "As true as that is, it does not make the message less false. Dear ol' Al had a lot of witty quotes that can still hold true today."

Aaron shook his head and opened his mouth to retort, but paused and closed his mouth when he noticed their waiter walking toward their table with their orders in hand. The waiter arrived with their dinner order and the two momentarily became silent other than them thanking the waiter. When the waiter left, Aaron picked up his fork with his left hand and the knife in his right. He held Dave's gaze as he stated. "Okay, I'll make you a deal, if it doesn't work out between me and Haley, then, well, you can say that I told you so, but Dave, I've never asked you to do anything before, so please be my best man." He paused and nervously laughed. "I'm scared shitless. I need you there."

Dave exhaled what sounded to be a long suffering breath, before he answered the plea. "Of course, I'll be your best man." He paused. "And I will be saying I told you so when the divorce is filed and finalized. I know these things, Aaron. I haven't been around the block three times and not learned anything."

Although, Dave would come to comment on the status of the detrioted relationship between Aaron and Haley, he never told Aaron, "I told you so."

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><p><strong>Note<strong>: Feedback is much appreciated. Please let me know what you thought of this pinch-hit.


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